The best four months of my life! Past Review
By Molly F (Psychology/Spanish, University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 01/19/2012 to 05/19/2012 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Seville, Spain
I gained confidence in my Spanish speaking abilities, met amazing people and learned about a completely different culture. I also had the opportunity to travel and see several other countries. It was the best decision I've made so far in college.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Most of my classes were challenging, but not quite as demanding as my classes at UWL. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone was very helpful and friendly at the CEA Global Campus! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family. They made my experience unforgettable. |
| * Food: |
Excellent! I was not afraid to try typical Spanish food & I'm glad I did! My host family made great meals too. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
By the end, I felt like a local. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got a really bad stomach flu about a month into my program. Someone from my program came to the hospital with me and stayed with me the entire time. She also made the effort to send me an e-mail to make sure I was okay. The entire staff was notified as well and constantly checked up on me. I did not take any specific vaccinations. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe at all times. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
I did not anticipate how much everything was actually going to cost- it was more than I thought. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Approximately $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan to put aside money for weekend trips, taking everything into account. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 300 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Don't be afraid to take risks and make mistakes- it's all part of learning. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew that I could have picked certain classes so that I could study at the University of Seville as well as the Global Campus. I wish I had taken classes with local students. |
